A left-wing group has sent unsolicited newspapers to many Michiganders claiming that Socialist Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is a “veteran.”
Earlier this week, a left-wing organization calling itself “The Michigan Independent” ran a piece on El-Sayed’s Senate primary win in August, the Washington Free Beacon reported. The Michigan Independent favors Democrats and claimed that El-Sayed served in the military.
One of the Michigan Independent pieces contains a headline saying "El-Sayed — veteran, doctor, and former health official — is Democratic Senate pick."
El-Sayed isn’t a veteran, and he’s never practiced as a physician. Jay Murray, a writer from the Michigan Enjoyer, quickly exposed the fake news. Then, a national outlet noticed the apparent error that benefited El-Sayed's campaign.
@FreeBeacon @elianayjohnson took my local journalism national on Michigan Independent’s agitprop headline. Subsequently, the Independent has acknowledged the headline referring to Abdul El-Sayed as a veteran; calling it an intentional error.
— Jay Murray (JZ DeLorean) (@Stainless31) August 28, 2026
Additionally, I was asked by some… https://t.co/mmsFdrkbcF pic.twitter.com/xnG2rKr3XC
The Michigan Independent’s mailing address routes to The American Independent Foundation in Washington, D.C. Writer Alyssa Burr has the byline on the story.
Soros-Funded Fake News Site Falsely Identified Abdul El-Sayed as 'Veteran' in Mailer Sent to Michigan Voters via @CAndersonMO @alanagoodman - https://t.co/I6OHAtZw5Q
— Eliana Johnson (@elianayjohnson) August 26, 2026
The David Brock dark money machine is up to its old tricks -- this time sending out "newspapers" that falsely call Abdul El-Sayed a veteran https://t.co/HaKuNpdEa3
— Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) August 26, 2026
Very interesting and clever political activity around Michigan’s senate race.
— Jay Murray (JZ DeLorean) (@Stainless31) August 25, 2026
Print newsletters made to appear ostensibly as a legitimate media platform have landed in mailboxes linked to The Michigan Independent (TMI) with oddly inaccurate headlines.
The current “issue” with… pic.twitter.com/iQPNTIIsDY
The Soros-backed dark money Michigan Independent mailed voters a flier that said El-Sayed is a “veteran, doctor.” He’s never served a day in the military or held a medical license. Their excuse? It was missing a comma. This is from the guy who already admitted he was just… https://t.co/SNdJGE0DPz pic.twitter.com/SrhpkKiXYt
— Heather Dow (@PatriotPostGirl) August 28, 2026
Your fliers falsely claim that you’re a veteran. Stolen Valor is a crime https://t.co/nKSWEBf04A pic.twitter.com/jH1DqMnL06
— Big Fish (@BigFish3000) August 26, 2026
The mailer shows how Democrat operative David Brock has tried to influence elections through fake news funded by the Soros’ Open Society Foundation, the Free Beacon reported.
"The mailer is the latest example of Brock's outfit attempting to influence elections through misleading mailers masquerading as news. In 2021, the 'Virginia Edition' of the American Independent sent unsolicited mailers to voters falsely claiming that then-Republican gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin called COVID relief "unnecessary," the Washington Free Beacon reported. The following year, in 2022, the group's state arms in Pennsylvania and Arizona ran paid Facebook ads pushing articles like '"Arizona Republicans out of touch with constituents on abortion rights.'"
When pressed by the Free Beacon about the error, Joe Conason, the president of the American Independent Foundation, claimed it was an error.
"The error occurred when a new headline was written for the print edition," Conason told the Free Beacon. "It was supposed to say that he was a 'veteran doctor and public health official,' ie, 'veteran' modifying those two terms."
Republican Mike Rogers will face off against El-Sayed in November.
